The hottest word on NBA draft lottery night was “rigged.” People joked about the Mavericks trading Luka and getting Cooper Flag as a reward. It sounded like a joke, but many believe there’s more to it. The idea is that the draft system might be manipulated. After Chris Paul left New Orleans in 2012, the Hornets got the first pick to select Anthony Davis. Again in 2019, after losing Anthony Davis to the Lakers, they got Zion Williamson with the top pick. Now, Luka to LA and the Mavericks get Cooper. The Cavs also got the first pick right when LeBron returned to Cleveland. The timing keeps seeming suspicious. It feels like the draft picks are planned, especially since they often involve LA or LeBron. I don’t usually buy into conspiracy theories, but this looks fishy. Even LeBron once said he thought the NBA rigged the lottery to get him back to Cleveland. During that lottery, Cleveland was given the top pick—no way to dismiss that as just luck. Some believe it’s designed to keep LeBron close to home. Out of all these moves, the pattern suggests a setup. Players like Patrick Yuing to the Knicks and Derrick Rose to the Bulls also seem part of this plan.The NBA draft lottery used to be simple—just pull an envelope with the team name. But that was too easy to cheat. Now, they have a new system. The lottery happens before the TV show. League officials meet with team reps, reporters, and Ernst & Young for security. Balls go into a machine and are mixed for 20 seconds. Four balls rise to create a four-number combo. Each team gets a different number. It’s more complex and harder to rig. Maybe not impossible, but much less likely. Fans of Dallas don’t know how to feel. They’d be happy if not for Luka’s trade hurting them. Nico Harrison’s move felt like a free pass. After trading Luka, Dallas got hit with injuries. That made rigging harder. Kyrie tore his Achilles, and Anthony Davis got hurt. Usually, those injuries would ruin Dallas’ chance at the top pick. They lost in the play-in to Memphis with only a 1.8% shot at getting the first pick. The whole story feels off. It looks like the draft might be fixed on purpose.
The Dallas Mavericks are the fourth luckiest team in NBA history. They traded Luka Doncic for Cooper Flag. Many think that’s all they got for Luka, but this is only part of the story. For those who call everything rigged, last year the Hawks jumped from 10th to 1st without much talk. The Mavericks moved from 10th to 1st, which is even crazier. San Antonio is the second luckiest team, jumping six spots—no one talks about that. The Sixers climbed from 5th to 3rd, making this one of the wildest drafts lotteries in recent memory. Every lucky team has a downside, though. The Wizards and Jazz fell four spots, from the top three to picks five and six. Imagine losing all season with a bad team just to end up with the fifth pick—that’s what the Pistons have done three years in a row.
This draft is a big turning point for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Spurs are now well-positioned to land him. Don’t rule out the Mavericks trading their pick for Giannis either. It might sound crazy, but Nico Harrison has said he doesn’t see himself as GM four years from now. Giannis fits that timeline better than Cooper Flag. The Spurs are a better move for him, but before that, how good can Dallas really be with Cooper? They have two options: trade players to start fresh with him or try to compete now, pairing him with AD and Kyrie once he’s healthy. The problem is Kyrie will be out at least a year, so Dallas needs a real point guard to make the playoffs.
Cooper is different from most top picks. He’s not just a scorer. He has a versatile game. His offense is still raw but effective, averaging 4.2 assists as a forward. He’s really good on defense too. He can protect the paint or guard players on the perimeter. Nico kept saying defense wins championships, and Cooper is a perfect fit for that idea. He’s better suited for winning than Luka. It’s tough luck for Luka, though. All Nico has to do is risk messing this up by trading the pick away for a player like Jackson Hayes and Austin Reaves.
Before focusing on Giannis, let’s look at how Cooper fits on the Mavericks roster. Dallas already has three big men who can defend—AD, Lively, and Gafford. If they want a true point guard, one of those big men will have to go. Cooper is a strong defender. Imagine him pressuring guards while AD blocks shots in the lane. The size around the basket also gives their guards more freedom to pressure the ball. Picture Flag chasing Zack LaVine full court. As LaVine works below the arc, Davis and Lively will be waiting near the basket. Scoring against Dallas will be tough.
Offensively, without Kyrie and Luka, Cooper will carry more weight. His strength is in attacking straight at the basket. He has a quick first step both catching the ball and dribbling. When defenders try to reach out beyond the three-point line, he can blow past them. Even though Cooper is just 18, he has strength and control in the paint. He likes to use his two feet, bodying defenders in the air. He’s comfortable finishing with both hands and makes contact regularly. His strength shows in his mid-range game too. Flag is starting to develop other skills as well.
Flag is starting to use his outside shot to open up his scoring moves. Watch him here move between defenders and lift his eyes to fake the shot. Then, he attacks the top foot of the defense by quickly shifting the ball back through. In the paint, he can get back to playing off two feet and drawing contact. His passing skills are strong too. I love this play where Flag drives across the middle. He uses his eyes to fake a pass to a teammate on the wing, which makes the defender move. That opens up the lob for an easy basket. But my main concern is that he’s only 18. Offense isn’t his biggest strength, and that puts a lot of pressure on the Mavericks. Meanwhile, the Spurs got very lucky. They moved from eighth pick to second. The obvious choice is Dylan Harper. He could be a great teammate for Wemby. Harper is a guard who can play with or without the ball. The Spurs are now set for the future. With so much talent, as long as Victor Wembanyama stays healthy, they and OKC will control the West for years. But there’s a problem. Harper doesn’t fit well with their current team. De’Aaron Fox and rookie Steph Castle already play guard spots. None of them, including Harper, is a great shooter off the catch. That causes them to have too many guards. They can either pick someone else, which doesn’t make sense high in the draft, or make a big trade. The Spurs have their eye on Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks don’t own their picks for the next three years. Harper would be a strong piece to rebuild after trading Giannis. The Spurs wouldn’t have to give up much to get Giannis because Harper is valuable. A trade could send Giannis to Spurs. The Bucks could get Harper, Harrison Barnes for salary, Kell Johnson, Jeremy Sohan, the 14th pick, and a 2029 pick. That’s two lottery picks and good young players. The Bucks wouldn’t ask for much more. If Houston isn’t willing to give up Men Thompson, Harper is the best young talent available. It’s crazy that the Sixers got the third pick, which might be Ace Bailey or VJ Edgecombe. Bailey is a scoring wing, good for the future with players like Jiren McCain and Tyrese Maxi. VJ is a high-upside scorer with top athleticism. Their future after Joel Embiid looks bright. But Giannis might be leaving soon. His recent leak to Shams and ESPN hints at a deal happening soon. Landin himself in the right spot, the Spurs could be close to landing him. If they got the first pick for Cooper Flag, they wouldn’t trade him for Giannis. Flag is just too good. But at number two, the Spurs should start thinking about it. Who else could get the Greek Freak? After his recent comments, a deal could happen in just days.
